Some stories have a ring of truth and some don’t. If you look at the photo, the woman on the other side of Taylor was his then-girlfriend. I know there are plenty of creepy men out there, but I can’t imagine this guy was going to grab a handful of Taylor Swift’s ass with his girlfriend standing next to her. Plus, there’s a narrative about Taylor that she’s a legal bully who are quick to sic her coterie of attorneys on people. And Taylor already seems like she’s wound tighter than a banjo string, so I’m guessing her and her mom don’t let shit go too easily.

Here's the thing, though:

This whole thing became public in the first place because he sued HER, after which she countersued HIM. Yes, she and her mom reported it to the station, which led to him getting fired, but Andrea Swift was quoted as originally wanting to keep quiet about all of this, so that Taylor's career wouldn't be adversely affected. It was only when he filed the lawsuit against her that she acknowledged it at all. We may have never known anything about this had it not been for Mueller's lawsuit. This happened during the Red Tour in 2013. The 1989 World Tour was close to over in 2015 before any of this became public.

Look, there's a lot about Taylor that annoys the living hell out of me. But if his behavior was misinterpreted or didn't happen to begin with, I think we would have learned that a LONG time ago (or if it truly was a mistake, not at all, as this story wouldn't exist in the first place). Do I believe that the type of image her celebrity calls to mind--in addition to her race and hair color--afforded her sympathy that even some of the most outspoken of the #MeToo movement don't necessarily get, especially if they're black/other WOC? HELL YES. But she still put herself through a long court case and difficult trial, which a lot of people would NOT be able to do. I side-eye her for a lot of things, but I'm not going to side-eye her for this.

And honestly, while her stans can be some of the most scary and intense on all of social media, this is one case where the Swifties descending in full force in reaction to her assaulter finding a job again could truly be a GOOD thing. And trust me, much like their beloved leader, they tend to freak out at the TINIEST piece of criticism. But I'm on their side in this case, 100 percent.

Edited February 2 by UYI.

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This whole thing became public in the first place because he sued HER, after which she countersued HIM. Yes, she and her mom reported it to the station, which led to him getting fired, but Andrea Swift was quoted as originally wanting to keep quiet about all of this, so that Taylor's career wouldn't be adversely affected. It was only when he filed the lawsuit against her that she acknowledged it at all. We may have never known anything about this had it not been for Mueller's lawsuit. This happened during the Red Tour in 2013. The 1989 World Tour was close to over in 2015 before any of this became public.

Well, there are a couple of things here. They had already gotten Mueller fired. So, there wasn't much else for her side to say. Her mom probably didn't want it getting out that she'd gotten someone fired because, well, it's not a good look when a multi-millionaire gets someone fired. Plus, with the way on-air talent and PDs move around, if you piss one of them off, you may find yourself black-balled in another market or the subject of industry gossip. Or, if I were to give them some credit, maybe they felt that they overreacted and wanted to put the whole thing behind them.

He sued her after initially requesting a letter stating it was a misunderstanding. He said he wanted to be able to show that to other stations so that they would be willing to hire him, and to do away with the narrative that he gropes women. She rebuffed him, so he then he sued her.

Also, I mean, it was public, but only the beats of the story. A DJ groped Taylor Swift, she reported him to his station, they fired him, he sued her and the radio station for wrongful termination. Then it became this story of how brave Taylor was on the witness stand with her answers. He says that it was an awkward encounter because he wasn't initially supposed to be in the picture, but was asked to lean in and I guess that's when he grabbed her ass, or grazed it or whatever. The mainstream media isn't about to take sides against a woman alleging sexual abuse, but I do wish someone would've gently asked the question, "how likely is it that a man is going to intentionally grab another woman's behind with his girlfriend standing on the other side of her?"

Look, there's a lot about Taylor that annoys the living hell out of me. But if his behavior was misinterpreted or didn't happen to begin with, I think we would have learned that a LONG time ago (or if it truly was a mistake, not at all, as this story wouldn't exist in the first place). Do I believe that the type of image her celebrity calls to mind--in addition to her race and hair color--afforded her sympathy that even some of the most outspoken of the #MeToo movement don't necessarily get, especially if they're black/other WOC? HELL YES. But she still put herself through a long court case and difficult trial, which a lot of people would NOT be able to do. I side-eye her for a lot of things, but I'm not going to side-eye her for this.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with the first part of this. I don't think that's true, both in general and especially not with Taylor. In many cases, companies are so quick to react, the person (usually male) doesn't get the opportunity to address the accusation without it looking like they're trying to save their own ass. When companies cut ties with people accused of things, especially sexual assault, in a weird way it kind of validates the accusation, even if the person is denying it. I think to some people they assume, "well, if it's not true, why did you get fired?" I doubt he wanted to immediately broadcast that he was fired for sexual misconduct, because then, everyone knows you were fired for sexual misconduct. And Taylor probably dug her heels in because if she wrote a letter saying it was a misunderstanding, well, if the letter gets out, then she looks bad for getting him fired over a mistake.

And also, I mean, Taylor doesn't strike me as the kind of person who lets things go. I don't necessarily think she's a cold-hearted person, but I 100% would NOT put it past her and her mom to report this even if this was, as he said, a misunderstanding. Some people let things go, and others kinda have to let you know what time it is at all times. And Taylor, whose reputation (no pun intended) is more or less predicated on wearing her heart on her sleeve, seems like she doesn't let shit go that easily.

And honestly, while her stans can be some of the most scary and intense on all of social media, this is one case where the Swifties descending in full force in reaction to her assaulter finding a job again could truly be a GOOD thing. And trust me, much like their beloved leader, they tend to freak out at the TINIEST piece of criticism. But I'm on their side in this case, 100 percent.

I...don't see how that could be a good thing. As a matter of fact, I think it wouldn't serve anybody well. I think people get the wrong idea, that the only way to be taken seriously is walk around with a chip on your shoulder and expect to settle everyone's hash who does you wrong. That has the exact opposite effect. When people get the impression that you're a snowflake, they stop taking your pain seriously.

There's a lot to admire and respect about Taylor Swift, but I think certain traits that make her a good songwriter and a compelling pop star also makes her a bit insufferable at times.

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This is my bias but I don't think the best things about a guy who has the option to change his name and chooses the name of a Confederate general.

I agree with that. When I found out he changed his name to Stonewall Jackson, I was raised several eyebrows. Maybe it’s a Mississippi Delta pandering thing. Also interesting: the radio website doesn’t have him or his co-hosts photo. It’s crazy. But on the other hand, the radio station has already received a bomb threat because he’s there. It’s ridiculous.

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Should he never be able to get another job or provide for his livelihood? No.

Did he grope her? Hell yes. A thousand times yes.

The way he conducted himself and how his lawyer conducted himself is all the evidence I need for that. She may be annoying as fuck, but I will never believe she went after his job. What on earth could she have to gain from getting a DJ fired from a radio station in Denver Colorado? I live here, but even I'm not about to believe she had a thing to gain from it. And also, he's smarmy and has a disgusting sense of humor. Do I think he was doing it for sexual gratification? No. Do I think he was doing it for a laugh? Yes.

He deserves what he got.

And the "I don't tell, but I won't lie" attitude is kind of shitty IMO. As a woman, it would be helpful if our fellow women would let us know "Hey...dude A over there can't keep his hands to himself. Might wanna steer clear." Would I steer clear? That's up to me at that point. But at least it might make me keep my guard up.

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Should he never be able to get another job or provide for his livelihood? No.

Did he grope her? Hell yes. A thousand times yes.

The way he conducted himself and how his lawyer conducted himself is all the evidence I need for that. She may be annoying as fuck, but I will never believe she went after his job. What on earth could she have to gain from getting a DJ fired from a radio station in Denver Colorado? I live here, but even I'm not about to believe she had a thing to gain from it. And also, he's smarmy and has a disgusting sense of humor. Do I think he was doing it for sexual gratification? No. Do I think he was doing it for a laugh? Yes.

He deserves what he got.

Well, we have a difference of opinion, which is fine, and since I wasn't there, I can only insist on my point but so much. But like I said, I'm skeptical this guy grabbed Taylor's ass with his girlfriend standing next to her, for any reason. I just find that hard to believe.

That being said, let's not kid ourselves. We're talking about Taylor Swift. All the celebrity beefs she's been in, all the clingy, bitter songs she's written about people (especially guys she's dated), her behavior on social media. I don't think she needed a practical reason to go after the man's job. If I were being charitable, it's possible her mom was angrier about it than she was and notified the radio station. But if they complained, it's because they weren't going to let it slide. Again, I'm of the opinion that Taylor and her mom are petty and wouldn't care if it was an accident or intentional.

Another reason is, I really feel like if Taylor was a true victim, she'd have said something about it before the trial. Taylor's not afraid to sound off, especially if she feels like she was wronged. In the wake of the Kesha accusations and whatnot, Taylor tried to keep this whole thing under wraps. My theory is the actual situation doesn't paint her in the best light. That said, she did what she had to do. He sued, she defended herself and countersued for a dollar, and won.

If I thought he did it on purpose, her personality would be neither here nor there. But the man has denied it and he said initially all he wanted was a letter from her saying it was a misunderstanding so he could get another job. I'm not familiar with him as a radio personality or a person, but we have enough evidence not to necessarily trust Taylor's reactions to shit. She can be a world-class drama queen sometimes.

And the "I don't tell, but I won't lie" attitude is kind of shitty IMO. As a woman, it would be helpful if our fellow women would let us know "Hey...dude A over there can't keep his hands to himself. Might wanna steer clear." Would I steer clear? That's up to me at that point. But at least it might make me keep my guard up.

I meant that more as a way of keeping drama to a minimum. And not talking about this situation, but in general, sometimes when you feel the need to broadcast things, it can make them bigger than they are, even if it's not insignificant (if that makes sense).

Edited February 2 by 27bored.

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Before he was fired, the DJ had a meeting with his bosses where he denied touching her inappropriately and secretly recorded it. Apparently one of the reasons he was fired was because his bosses were suspicious that he seemed to have changed his story from "an accident" to "never happened". Coincidentally his laptop, tablet, and phone (with the recording) were all "accidentally" destroyed.

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Apparently one of the reasons he was fired was because his bosses were suspicious that he seemed to have changed his story from "an accident" to "never happened".

Those two statements are not necessarily in conflict with each other if the accusation is that he grabbed her ass on purpose. His stuff being accidentally destroyed seems weird, though.

Like I said, I think the station likely wanted to keep their relationship with Taylor Swift (to whatever extent they had one), but I'm curious why they fired him for something he did presumably off hours. It doesn't seem like it was reported to the police -- which is another reason why I find her side of this a little suspect. I read that her management called the station and said their relationship would be in jeopardy if appropriate action wasn't taken. That sounds like a thinly veiled request to fire him, even though her mom said they just wanted them to investigate. That...sounds like bullshit. If they came back and said they found no evidence of wrongdoing, my guess is they wouldn't have a relationship with Taylor any longer.

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Well, we have a difference of opinion, which is fine, and since I wasn't there, I can only insist on my point but so much. But like I said, I'm skeptical this guy grabbed Taylor's ass with his girlfriend standing next to her, for any reason. I just find that hard to believe.

I have no problem believing that. Sexual predators can be brazen. Louis CK whipped his dick out in public spaces multiple times, Matt Lauer made crude comments knowing he was miched up, buzzfeed had a story where a man stuck a hand down a sleeping woman's pants on an airplane where flight attendants are circulating and Larry Nassar molested minors while their parents were in the room. Getting away with it is clearly part of the thrill for some of these sickos.

Most women have experienced some sort of accidental graze in their life. It's happened to me on the bus, during group photos and in tight aisles on planes. I know the difference between a graze and a grab and I see no reason to doubt Taylor does too. The picture of her assault exists. She looks uncomfortable and his arm is very low for someone who claims they're aiming for a back.

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I'm curious as to how well the tickets for her upcoming tour are selling now. A month ago, there was a lot of concern that the prices for tickets were so high, that literally NONE of her shows had sold out yet, even though her previous tours had sold out within minutes. I'd be curious at to what the status on her ticket sales are now.

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I'm curious as to how well the tickets for her upcoming tour are selling now. A month ago, there was a lot of concern that the prices for tickets were so high, that literally NONE of her shows had sold out yet, even though her previous tours had sold out within minutes. I'd be curious at to what the status on her ticket sales are now.

A sizeable chunk of her cities just got 2nd and 3rd shows added.

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Yes, but like I said, her tickets are pretty expensive--and there were shows added a month ago, too, when it was reported that not one of her shows had been sold out yet, and a lot of people were angry that ticket prices were/are so high. I was just wondering, because it seems like while it could be one of the highest-grossing tours of all time, it could be more because of the price of the tickets, rather than the number of people there.

It just sort of feels like these extra shows have been added out of desperation, rather than any real demand. There's been a LOT of concern only her richest fans can afford these tickets.

(I hope I didn't come across as rude at the beginning! "Like I said" can come across like that, especially in print, and I always do my best to try to be kind to everyone here.)

Edited February 6 by UYI.

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Yes, but like I said, her tickets are pretty expensive--and there were shows added a month ago, too, when it was reported that not one of her shows had been sold out yet, and a lot of people were angry that ticket prices were/are so high. I was just wondering, because it seems like while it could be one of the highest-grossing tours of all time, it could be more because of the price of the tickets, rather than the number of people there.

It just sort of feels like these extra shows have been added out of desperation, rather than any real demand. There's been a LOT of concern only her richest fans can afford these tickets.

(I hope I didn't come across as rude at the beginning! "Like I said" can come across like that, especially in print, and I always do my best to try to be kind to everyone here.)

I do get the sense that many of those second shows were added so they can sell more of the Snake Pit/Floor and lower level seats. When you're already paying over a hundred dollars for a nosebleed ticket, why not spend $50 more for a better seat on the second night, after all? I bet when the concerts roll around, they'll have to tarp over some of the nosebleeds at many of her stops but it'll be more than worth it because those high end tickets will be putting money in Taylor's pocket.

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The music video for Taylor's new single, "Delicate". I...don't know why she chose some interpretative dance nonsense for this, but I've given up trying to figure out her motivation for things for the most part now.

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Spotify randomly selected "Getaway Car" for me the other day, and I didn't like it. I know some people consider this one of the best songs on "Reputation", but something about the way Taylor sings it really annoys me. I'm not sure what it is.

Of course, reading the posts I've made in this thread makes it sound like I just don't like ANYTHING about Taylor's music, which isn't true, lol. I love "Style" and "Wildest Dreams", and I think "Out of the Woods" is an underrated song. I tend to like her when she doesn't try so hard. I keep hoping she'll go away for a while, come back with a much more mature attitude, and start releasing more "adult" albums, because I do think she has something to offer, musically speaking. She's not great, but she is good. :/

Edited 3 hours ago by Sweet Summer Child.

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I'm always seeing posts from people who love "Style" & I've never understood why. I find it kind of annoying, it's one of the songs I turn off if it comes on the radio. "Wildest Dreams" also doesn't ring any bells for me. I really don't like "End Game" either, I hate the noise she makes after she sings " you and me we got big reputations", it's the same sound that rappers sometimes make (especially Drake) & it sets my teeth on edge, but I guess different strokes & all that :-)

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I'm always seeing posts from people who love "Style" & I've never understood why. I find it kind of annoying, it's one of the songs I turn off if it comes on the radio. "Wildest Dreams" also doesn't ring any bells for me. I really don't like "End Game" either, I hate the noise she makes after she sings " you and me we got big reputations", it's the same sound that rappers sometimes make (especially Drake) & it sets my teeth on edge, but I guess different strokes & all that :-)